Steam-generator



' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

S. WATERHOUSB. STEAM GENERATOR.

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WITfjEEEE (No Model.)

3. SheetsSheet 3. S. VWATERHOUSE.

STEAM GENERATOR.

No. 288,524. Patented N0v;13.'18 83.

INVEN TUR in attendance orinspection.

' rren STATES farmer tries,

STEAM-GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,524, dated November 13, 1883.

Application filed August 23, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern: Be it known that I, SAMUEL WVATERnoUsE, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massach usetts, a citizen of the United States,

being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in explaining its nature.

The things of greatest importance in steamgenerators are, first, abundance of heatingsurface properly exposed to absorb the fullest amount ofheat from the products of combustion; second, the-fullest possible freedom of circulation through the water-space of the boiler to secure safety and efficiency; third, durability and ease of repair; fourth, simplicity in construction and setting, so that the average attendant may not be perplexed either These things will tend to economy of the boiler-room, whethor fuel, labor, or repair are factors; and it was with these views that the present construction was adopted after numerous experiments for a long time.

The use of coiled pipe for the water-legs of a steam-drum has long been an object of desire among the inventors of steam-generators, because of the great heating-surface thus to be obtained, the strength, uniformity, and cheapness of the material, its ease of manipulation, and other advantages; but in most coil-boilers the circulation has hitherto been a difficulty.

The present boiler may be analyzed into seven main elements, each of which has something of novelty in itself, and is also combined in a novel way with the other elements of construction. They are, first, the fire-box coil; second, the combustion-chamber coils;

third, the steam dome or drum; fourth, the pendent circulatingtube and other circulating-pipes connected therewith; fifth, the feedcolumn; sixth, the feed-circulating column; seventh, the delivery-column.

The fire-boxcoil consists of two upright pipes of about the same height, one connected at its bottonrwith the feed-column and the other at its top with both the delivery-column and the pendent circulating-tube. Into the sides of these upright pipes are inserted the outer ends of several bent pipes, each of which with the feed and delivers it to the pendent circulating-tube, and to the delivery-column through the other upright pipe. As the highest temperature is at the fire-box coil, this double-delivery connection is a great advantage to a free circulation. The curvature of the bent parts of the fire-box coil is very nearly parallel to the curvature of the inte rior of the fire-box, but is smaller, and the upright pipes to which the bent tubes are joined are placed somewhat farther apart than the width of the fire-doors. The bent tubes are in tiers or series, one above another.

the interior. turn of which is in a different plane from the plane of the other turns, and the coils are so set in the combustion-chamber that the inner turn of each is lower than the outer turn. The inner end of each volute is connected to the feed-water column, and the outer end of each volute is connected to the delivery-column by a pipe, which, for con venience of repair, should runparallel to the pipe from the inner end of the volute. By this arrangement of the ,coils on two planes the inner turn on the lower plane, and by the described connection of the inner turn with the feed and the outer turn with the delivery feed-water enters the center and runs, as it is heated, upward and outward along curves less and less sharp, thus encountering less resist ance than if fed in the opposite direction. The circles of the coils should be at such distan ce apart as to allow the products of combustion to circulate freely. These combustionchamber coils are to be set horizontal, and are supported on brackets from the brick-work of the flue, which forms the sett ing of the boiler. As the inner turn is at a different plane from that of the other turns, these brackets are only long enough to carry the exterior turns, leaving the inner turn to be carried by the support given by the exterior supporting-coils, or by the horizontal pipe connecting with the feedcolumn, or by both or other means. I

The steam dome or drum is a cylindrical or other proper-shaped vessel connected. with the parts heretofore described by the meansheretakes water from the upright pipe connected The combustionchamber coils are volutes,

' feed-column, as already stated.

inafter described, or others equally suitable, and is an ordinary cylindrical vessel with or without internal vertical tubes, which are advantageous as hollow .stay-bolts, if for nothing else, and this dome or drum is connected at its lowest point with the dependent circulatingtube, to which water from the fire-box coil is fed by one of the deliveries, as before stated. This steam-drum is suspended in a flue, and the products of combustion come in contact with its sides and bottom; or if it have tubes with its interior. and bottom, and give to the water contained. in it some of the residual heat not already taken from the flame by the fire-box coils and the combustionchamber coils, and if the drum contains tubes, the upper parts of the tubes being in the steam, the steam will be dried at a comparatively moderate temperature, and thus much of the clan ger of foaming be eliminated from practice. From the steam-drum an ordinary steam-pipe leads to the place of use. The pendent circulating-tube projects down from the bottom of the steam-drum and connects it with the upper part of the delivery-member of the firebox coil. The ascent of water from the firebox coil to the steam-drum is secured by this connection. and it is important that there should be the central circulation, as well as the circulation by aid of the delivery-column.

The feed-column is avertical pipe,to which, at its bottom, there is attached a feed-pipe leading from the feed-pump or other source of water-supply,and isconnected atvariouspoints in its rise with, first, the lower part of one of the upright pipes of the fire-box coils; second, with the inner turn of each of the combustionchamber coils; third, is capped at its top at the level of the upper coil, or thereabout; fourth, is connected at or near its bottom with the feed-circulating column.

The feed-circulating column is open to the interior of the steam-drum below the waterline, and is connected to the lower end of the It is not connected with the coils either of the fire-box or of the combustion-chamber.

The delivery-column is connected at its lower end with the upper part of the delivery upright pipe of the tire-box coil and with the outer ends of the volute coils of the combustion-chamber, and its upper end connects with the steam-drum below thewater-line. It should have no other connections. Thus it will be seen that there is a circulating connection in the boiler from the steam-drum down.

through the feed-circulating tube to the feedcolumn, thence into the coils, thence from the coils each by itself to the (lelivery-column,and from the fire-box coil to the pendent circulating-tube as well, while by the presence of steam in the upper part of the steam-dome, whether it have tubes or not, the steam will be apt to dry.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an axiometric front elevation of the exterior of the boilercasing on the left and a front elevation with the casing removed upon the right. Fig. 2is a rear elevation with the setting removed. Fig. 3 contains two horizontal sections, one of them, the upper, through the steam-drum, and the other, the lower, through the upper part of the fire-pot. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section upon the line as x of Fig. 1, showing the combustion-chamber coils in plan. Fig. 5 is a plan of the fire-pot coil and its connection. Fig. 6 is the detail of the supports for the combustion-chamber coils. Fig. 7 isadouble branch which I employ when the combustionchamber coils are required to be of large diameter. Fig. Sis a plan of the double volutes used when the diameter of the combustion-chamber coils are required to be more than four feet in diameter.

Like letters indicate like parts in all these figures.

A is the boiler-setting, which is of ordinary brick-work construction, and, as maybeseen, is practically in the form of a cylindrical flue.

B is the ash-pit, above which is situated the fire-grate G. This fire-grate is at the bottom of a firepot, D, above which is the combustion-chamber E.

In the fire-pot D, near its walls, is arranged the fire-pot coil F. This coil, as shown in Fig. 5, consists of two upright pipes, f f one at each end, sufficiently far separated to allow them to be placed, as shown in Fig. 3, on each side of the stoking-door of the fire-pot. These upright pipes are connected together by means of several bent tubes f, whose delivery ends are connected somewhat higher up than their feed ends. The upright pipe f, connected with the feed-column is closed in at the top, and has a feed-column connection at its bottom y, which extends through the casing of the boiler and connects with a pipe, G, leading to the feed-column G. The other of these upright pipes, f is closed at its bottom, and connected at its top with the delivery-column H, and with the pendent circulating-tube I at its bottom, the connection being marked, respectively, h and t. Water coming from the feed-column feeds into the upright pipe f, and through the bent tubes of the fire-box coil and the other upright pipe, f, and thence from its top through the tubes h and t to the delivery-column H and the pendent circulating-tube I. The feed-water enters from the source of supply through pipe K, which is controlled by a stop-valve.

The pipe G, leading to the feed-column G, is connected with the fire-box coil, and enters an elbow or return bend, G, one branch of which is continued upward as the feed-column G, closed at the top, as shown in Fig. 2. The other branch connects with the feed-circulating column L, which descends from the steamdome, and is connected below the water-line with the interior of the steam-dome N. It is marked L in the drawings,and has no branches or connections except with the return bend, connecting it with the feed-column Gand with the steam-dome.

IIO

The combustion-chamber coils M are volutes, the interior turn of which is connected by a straight branch, m, with the feed-column G, and the exterior turn'of which, m, is connected with the delivery-column H. These.

two connections leadstraight andparallel with each other, as shown in Fig. 4, to the feed and delivery columns G and H, and are there united to said columns by right and left couplings.

The boiler-casing is made so that the front part of it can be removed, and by this parallelism of the pipes m and m a disabled coil can be removed and another put in its place readily. This construction is shown in plan in Fig. 4, and is readily accomplished by-having the casing made with a flat supportingbar near the bottom of the steam-dome, to sustain theweight of the brick-work above the combustion-chamber, and by having the joints of the brick-work on each side verticalon the lines y and .2, instead of looking or zigzag, as is usual.

In case a boiler of more than four feet in diameter is desired, I prefer not to make the volute of one piece, but of two pieces, coiled parallel to each other, and coupled by a breeches-coupling to the feed-column G and the delivery-column H. Such a coupling device is shown at Fig. 7. In such an arrangement the interior coil would be of a piece of pipe twelve feet long, or less, coiled, as described, and the exterior coil of another piece of pipe of about the same length ,the inner coils of which would be lower than the outer coils of the inner piece and the other bends in the same level. The diameter of the inner bend of the outer piece would be greater than the diameter of the outer bend of the inner piece, all as shown in Fig. 8. This will give free traverse to the water through a comparatively short pipe. These combustion-chamber coils are supported on brackets m, attached to the brick-work.

The method of attachment is shown in Figs. 4 and 6. A half-circular iron plate is laid on the brick-work at or near the top course of the firebox. To this is fastened, at g, the bottom flanges of a pair of flanged plates, a. These plates therefore stand upright in the line of the brick-work on either side of the combustion-chamber. On their sides are offsets g, at proper levels, between which offsets g the brackets m are inserted and bolted to the plate 1, as seen in Fig. 6, thus throwing the weight of the coils on the iron offsets, and not 011 the bricks. I hold this to be a firmer construction than to set the brackets inthe brick-work, and better for repairs.-

The interior turn of the coils M are lower when adj usted in the combustion-ch amber than the exterior turns, and as it is desirable to support this interior turn, the circulating-pipesl l are conducted out and down from the steamdome, where they connect below the water line, and turn inward and connect with the pendent circulating-tube in such a way as to give independent support to theinner turn of the lower coil of the series of combustion'cham ber coils. The inner turns of the upper combustion-chamber coils are supported on the combustion-chamber coils just below them, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

The steam-dome N is an ordinary shell, with or without tubes, having at its bottom the pendent circulating-tube I, which connects freely with the interior of the steam-dome. If made without tubes, there should be aspace around it for the traverse of the products of combustion. If made with tubes, the casing may fit it tightly. This steam-drum has two connections below the water-line, one of them, L, the feed-circulating column, and the other, H, the delivery column, and a steam-pipe, 0, leads from its top to the place where steam is to be used.

I prefer in this apparatus to have the feedcolumn G, the delivery-column H, and the feed-circulating tube L come outside of the boiler-casing. as jacketed pipes, while the circulating-pipes Z are within the boiler-casing5 but this position of the pipes and columns is a matter of mechanical convenience.

I interpose, as shown in Fig. 4, a shut-off valve, 12, between the feed and delivery columns and the coils of pipe in the combustionchamber, and these shut-off valves may also be interposed between the fire-box coil and the feed and delivery columns. This is done in order that when a coil from any reason is disabled it may be disconnected fromthe rest of the boiler and allowed to burn out without interrupting the work of the boiler.

I prefer to connect, as I have described, the upper part of the fire-box coil with the pendent circulatingtubes and with the deliv erycolumn, but the connection may be made with either. It is better to make it with both, because this is the hottest place in the boiler, and it is well to have a very free delivery of water from this fire-box coil. I connect the interior turns of the coils of the combustion chamber with the feed-column and set them lower than the exterior or outer end of the combustion-chamber coils for the same purpose of free delivery. The supporting-brackets are arranged to prevent the sag or breaking of the combustion-chamber coils.

The pendent circulating-tube is connected with the steam-drum and with the fire-box coil, as described, for the purpose of insuring better circulation, whether steam is in use or not. The feed-circulating column is connected with the return circulating-column by a re turn-bend, for compactness and cheapness, and the feed-circulating column is connected below the water-line rather than at it or above it, so as to insure descent of the water and absence of foaming.

Of course a metallic flue or casing may be used instead of a bricksetting, as is usual in boilers.

This application is a division of application of January 10, 1883, for boiler, which appli- IIO cation has been put in interference with one of A. D. Brock and F. B. Brock, and contains the claims not put in interference with said Brooks application.

I am aware of Letters Patent that have been issued to I. Darling, No. 66,683, dated July 16, 1867 toAleXander B. Latta, N 0. 18.460, dated October 20, 1857; to A. D. Brock, No. 199, 782,

' dated January 29, 1878; to \V. F. Brown, No.

- fire-box, one of said upright pipes, f, being connected at its bottom with the feed-column G, and the other, ft, at its top with the delivery-column H, or with the pendent circulating-tube I. or with both.

2. The combination of the pendent circulating-tube I with the steamdrum N and with the firebox coil F, substantially as de scribed.

3. Thecombination of the feed-column G G with the fire-box coil F, with the combustionchamber coils M, and with the feed-circulating column H, each substantially as described.

4. The combination of circulating-pipes Z with the pendent tube I and the combustionchamber coils M, substantially as described.

5. The described means of supporting the brackets m, consisting of uprights n, arranged radially within the walls of the furnace, resting upon and fastened to an iron plate near the top of the fire-box, and having upon their sides offsets s, between which offsets the tail of the bracket m is inserted, substantially as described.

6. The single VOllltGBOllS M of the combustion-chamber, of substantially uniform section, having the inner bend of each coil lower than the outer end of the same coil, and connected by their inner ends with the feed-column G and by their outer ends with the delivery-column H, substantially as and for the purposes described.

7. The combination of the feed column G, having connections with the fire-box coils and combustion-chamber coils, as described, with the feed-circulating column L by the returnbend G, and with the drum N, all substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of the feed-column G, having connection with the fire-box coils and the combustion-chamber coils, as described, and the feed-pipe G substantially as described.

9. The combination of the feed-column G, capped at its top at or about the level of the upper coil, and connected at or near its bottom With the feed-circulating column having con nections with the fire-box coils and combustion-chamber coils, as described, the combustion-chamber coils M, the delivery-column H, and the steam-drum N, all substantially as de scribed.

10. The combination of the circulatingcolumn L with the feed-column G by the returnbend G, said feed-column G and the feed-pipe G having connection with the fire-box coils and combustion-chamber coils, substantially as described. 1

11. In combination with a pair of three-way couplingsone at each end-the pair of horizontal parallel volute coils whose inner bends and connecting-pipes are on. the same level and lower than their other bends, and whose exterior bends are on a level with each other, and in which the inner bend of the outer volute of the pair is of greater diameter than the outer bend of the other volute of the pair.

SAMUEL VVATERHOUSE. Witnesses:

THos. WM. CLARKE, WILLIAM J. MEALEY. 

